Page 24 of The Kingdom Cursed By Iron

“Anyway, boredom can’t be the only reason you want me at this banquet,” I say, hoping to get us back to talking like normal again.

He examines his fingernails.

“Perhaps not. But I don’t understand the big rush to leave in any case. You only just got here.”

“Destan,” I say, growing serious, “you must see there’s nothing here for me anymore.”

“Isn’t there?” He gives me a meaningful look.

“You’re talking about Ruskin.”

“Naturally.”

I look away. I’d been hoping to avoid a conversation like this. Talking about this with someone who actually knows us both is unexpectedly painful. It makes it all feel fresh again.

“There’s nothing here for me anymore,” I repeat.

Destan swings his legs over one arm of his chair, propping himself up on his elbow on the other.

“Are you seriously asking me to believe that any feelings you had for him—those powerful, curse-breaking feelings, might I add—just disappeared the moment you stepped back into your realm?”

“Of course not, but that doesn’t change anything. He lied to me; he’s keeping things from me still, and every moment I find myself afraid he’s going to do something so terrible it will prove all over again what a fool I’ve been to lo?—”

My throat tightens as I speak, but I concentrate to keep the emotions from overwhelming me.

“To have feelings for him,” I say instead. “I can’t build anything on that, Destan. I can’t trust him, and he’s made it abundantly clear he doesn’t trust me.”

“It’s hard for him,” Destan says gently. “He’s had to protect himself from a lot, for a long time.”

“I don’t care,” I say first, but I don’t like lying to Destan, so I change it to “I can’t care. Not when it doesn’t change anything.” Going on the offensive seems like a good strategy, so I add, “Why do you care so much anyway? Why are you so intent on meddling?”

The questions come out more harshly than I intend, and Destan looks offended.

“I care because I don’t like seeing my friends miserable.”

“He’s got his mother back—he’s thrilled,” I throw back.

“Yes. He’s also miserable. There’s no number of family reunions that can change that. The signs are there, you just don’t want to see them.”

I think back to the destroyed bedroom, but say nothing. Destan rises from the armchair.

“Come to the banquet, Eleanor, as a leaving present to me, if nothing else.”

I rise with him, annoyed but resigned. As much as I talked about Faerie having nothing for me, I count Destan as a friend, and I know I can’t refuse him.

“All right. I suppose it’ll at least be interesting to see everyone’s reactions when they get their High Queen back.”

“Thanks to you,” Destan reminds me.

“She’s not High Queen again yet,” comes a voice from the doorway.

I jump as Halima emerges through it.

“Kind of you to stop lurking and finally join us,” I say. It’s a joke, but Halima just offers me a curt nod.

“I waited until you’d finished your heart-to-heart before I announced myself,” she said.

For Halima, this is the height of consideration, and I can’t help but smile.

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